Shatter
by ShadowDanseur
Summary: Things are finally going well for Clark. He's got the girl of his dreams, and his friends by his side. Then someone enters the picture with the power to destroy all of that ... what is the love of one, without the mind of the other?
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: I started this one a little while ago. It's still in work, so bear with me. As always, reviews are appreciated!_**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. That would be sweet though. Don't sue.**

**Spoilers: None.**

**_Chapter One:_**

Phones were ringing off the hook, but she paid them no heed. The Daily Planet was crawling with activity, which wasn't unusual for the newspaper. Chloe had gotten used to the constant activity and had learned how to tune it all out and focus on the task at hand. Today, however, she didn't feel as calm and collected. She was running herself ragged trying to get the scoop on the latest story, and it didn't help that Clark had come to her last night with their latest case of a seemingly meteor infected young man with the ability to incapacitate his victims somehow. Why he did it, or how, was still a mystery to them. Chloe had been up all night trying to get a lead on one or both projects, but had come up empty handed on both accounts.

Three cups of coffee into the morning, she called Clark on his cell phone to report her lack of findings.

"I looked all night," She told him with a tired sigh, "But I can't find anything. I'm telling you, Clark, we have to find a way to talk to one of his victims."

"I get that, Chloe, but that's the catch. Only one of his victims is still alive, and she currently resides in Belle Reeve. I'm not sure she could even tell us her name, and that's assuming that we could even get in to see her."

"Well, we have to try at least," Chloe urged, "I'm all out of ideas. Where are you now?"

"At the farm. Lana just made brunch."

"I'm gonna finish up here at work, and then I'm gonna come out and meet you at the farm. From there we can try and brainstorm or something. Have you talked to Lana about this?"

"I mentioned it this morning, but she had to get to the Talon. Why?"

"Maybe you could try picking her brain, see if she has any ideas."

"I'll ask her about it. See you in a bit."

Chloe hung up and glanced back at her computer screen. She was still trying to adjust to the whole Lana thing, but she wasn't going to let Clark know that. He was so happy now that she knew his secret and they were finally together, it almost made Chloe sick to see them together. They were always so … mushy with each other. Not that she was unhappy for him; she just wasn't used to it, she supposed.

"Focus," She told herself, "There has to be something I'm missing."

She searched everything that she thought could even remotely connect with their culprit, but nothing came up. Clark had only seen him once, and hadn't gotten a good enough look at him to give her a decent description. She had started by looking for all the recent cases of inexplicable accidents, especially to young women since that seemed to be his forte. Only three had turned up, however, two of whom had been killed, and the other placed in Belle Reeve.

Frustrated, Chloe left the newspaper and made her way to the farm. The whole way there she was searching her mind for something, some connection or way to catch their guy. Nothing. They had to get in to talk to that girl. There was no other way.

She knocked briefly before letting herself into the house, praying that she wouldn't walk in on anything she didn't want to see. Luckily, they seemed to have just finished eating. Lana was putting their dishes in the sink when Chloe came in. The two girls smiled at each other in greeting, and then Clark came in from the living room.

"Hey, Chlo'," He greeted, "Anything?"

For a brief moment Chloe balked, still trying to get used to the idea that she could talk to Clark about things like this with Lana there. She was getting better at it, but it had only been two months since he had let the cat out of the bag. For some unknown reason, Chloe still felt protective of his secret, even though she knew Lana wasn't a threat.

"Nothing," She said finally, "I've tried everything I can think of. I looked up every case of mysterious illnesses, attacks on women, everything I can think of that may tie into this. Nothing came up. I just don't know how else we're gonna get anywhere with this, Clark. We have to talk to that girl."

Clark sighed. He knew she was right; Chloe usually was. Still, he wasn't sure how they were going to get in to see her, or what they were going to ask her if they did.

"Okay," He conceded, "But how are we going to get in there? We can't just go waltzing in there and ask to talk to someone we don't even know."

"Why not?" Lana asked then, drawing both pairs of eyes to her, "I mean, Chloe is a reporter. Clark, you could be her partner or something. You could just say you're writing an article on what this guy is doing to women, so you can warn the public."

Clark smiled at her instantly and swooped in to give her a kiss, which made her smile in return. On the other side of the counter, Chloe diverted her gaze uncomfortably. The idea was a good one. Maybe having three people to figure this out would be easier, and she wouldn't always feel like she was lying to her friend. Still … she felt it was her duty to protect this secret, as she had been doing for so long.

"Good thing I always carry my press badge with me," She muttered to no one in particular

"How are we going to get me one?" Clark asked, apparently thinking she had been talking to him

"You won't need one," Chloe told him, "You'll be the new guy. I'm just showing you the ropes before throwing you in with the sharks."

Clark laughed.

"That sounds like a fairly accurate description of the newspaper world," He told her, "Let's go. I don't wanna give this guy any more time to find another victim. We're already behind the curve as it is."

"Be careful," Lana told them both

"We will," Clark replied, giving her a goodbye kiss

Chloe muttered a thanks and headed out to her car, not in any hurry to observe more of their sickeningly sweet antics. She didn't know what it was that made her so … adverse to seeing the way they were together, especially since she was happy with Jimmy. She figured it was just because old habits died hard, and she still wasn't used to sharing so much with Lana. This was something she and Clark had always shared, something he had trusted her with. The one thing she had of him that Lana didn't. Now, that wasn't the case. Perhaps she was just being selfish.

She drove those thoughts out of her mind and let out a resigned sigh just as Clark got in the car. Without a word, she backed down the driveway and headed for Belle Reeve.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two:_**

Clark knew that he had been a little absorbed lately, what with all the new developments in his and Lana's lives, but he knew enough to pay attention when Chloe was quiet. She hadn't said more than three words since they'd left the farm, and that was not like her. When it came to his petite blonde friend, her silence was louder than any scream. He waited for a bit without speaking, trying to observe her and gauge her mood. Oddly, he didn't seem to be getting anywhere.

"Hey, Chlo?" He said gently

"Hmm?"

She didn't even look at him. She didn't take her eyes off the road, or even move a muscle at the sound of his voice.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm fine, Clark," She answered calmly, giving him a small smile, "I'm just a little frazzled. That, and I'm trying to figure out just what we're going to ask this girl."

"What's her name?" He asked

"Julie Vigliotti."

The car fell silent again. Chloe seemed completely engrossed in whatever trains of thought she was conducting; he wanted to ask her if she had any ideas yet, but he wasn't sure he should. He was trying to think of something to say when she turned up the drive to the hospital. When they parked and stepped out of the vehicle, it was as if a mask had been lifted. Chloe was all business, filling him in on what to do and how to act. Whatever she had been thinking about in the car seemed to be forgotten, and it almost made him smile. Chloe was a pro at this.

"Just let me do the talking, okay?" She told him as they mounted the steps to the door

The attendant behind the reception desk was a young man who looked to be about their age, and new at the job. Clark felt a little bit better - maybe the odds would be with them on this one.

"Morning, Miss," The young man greeted, "What can I do for you?"

"Well …" And she glanced at his name badge, "…Jordan, I was hoping to visit my cousin."

"And your cousins name, Miss?"

"Julie Vigliotti."

The man pulled up a file on his computer and seemed to read for a minute, then looked back up at them. Clark could see in his face that he had found something to contradict Chloe's cousin theory.

"I'm sorry, Miss, it says here that Ms. Vigliotti cannot have visitors."

"Let me guess," Chloe shot back with her flirtiest smile and without missing a beat, "That rule would be per her father, Samuel, wouldn't it?"

"Well, yes," Jordan replied, a little surprised, "But how did you …"

"My uncle is a politician," Chloe cut him off, "Of course he wouldn't want anyone to see Julie. Can you imagine the scandal, the smear on his good reputation if the people of Metropolis were to find out that his daughter was in Belle Reeve? He'd never stand for it."

Jordan looked sold. Honestly, Clark was pretty impressed. Chloe was good with words, he knew, but this was one for the books. Did she come up with this stuff on the fly? She sounded so sure of herself, so utterly believable. Of course, Clark had been giving her plenty of practice in the last few years she had been guarding his secret.

"So, Jordan, what do you say?" Chloe prodded, "I promise, no one will ever know we were here. I just want to let her know that she's not alone."

"What about him?" Jordan queried, motioning at Clark, "I don't know if I can let you both see her."

"Please," Clark pleaded, stepping forward before Chloe had a chance to speak, "I was going to propose to her. She has to know that I love her. See, I even brought her ring."

From the left pocket of his coat Clark pulled out a blue velvet box and opened it to show the young man the ring. Whether it was because of his super human hearing, or just from his many years of learning the subtleties that were Chloe, he caught the intake of breath and the widening of his friend's eyes. She covered the little lapse immediately, her face a perfect mask again, but Clark had caught it. The utter shock and bewilderment on her face had not been lost on him.

"All I can give you is ten minutes," Jordan said after a pause, "Any longer than that and someone might notice."

"That's great, Jordan," Chloe gushed, "I owe you one. What room is she in?"

"Second floor, room 233."

"Thanks."

Chloe scurried off down the hall so quick that Clark was caught off guard. He caught up to her in a few easy strides, tucking the ring safely back in his pocket.

"Chloe …"

"I only came up with a few questions in the car, but they should give us a few more pieces of the puzzle," She cut him off

"Chloe, I'm sorry, I just decided on it yesterday, and then this guy came out of the woodwork."

She nearly skidded to a halt, and when she looked at him he could see the hurt she was trying to hide.

"Look, Clark, you don't owe me an explanation. And this isn't really a good time. We have ten minutes to ask this girl whatever questions we can. One thing at a time."

She took off for the elevator, but seemed to decide on the stairs at the last minute. Clark followed her wordlessly, feeling both guilty and perplexed. He knew she would take this as him not telling her about his plans to propose to Lana, and that made him feel guilty. Chloe was his best friend, and he had wanted to talk to her about it as soon as he'd made the decision, but there just hadn't been time. On the other hand, he was perplexed about why she would be so bothered by the idea.

They pulled up in front of room 233 then, and all other thoughts left his mind as he focused on the task at hand. Chloe opened the door and peeked her head in; it was a plain room, with one bed in the middle and a small green chair looking out a window in the corner. Sitting in the chair was a girl a little older than they, her back turned to them.

"Julie?" Chloe asked gently

Julie didn't move. Chloe stepped in and motioned for him to close the door behind them. Slowly and carefully, Chloe stepped around the side of the chair and looked at the girl. Julie had once been beautiful, it seemed, with high cheekbones and long black hair, no doubt a result of a strong Italian influence. The Julie sitting in the overstuffed but small green chair, however, was like a wraith. Her ivory skin was sallow and dull, her black hair hanging in unkempt knots down her back. Her expression was blank, but not a peaceful or restful blank like Chloe had sometimes seen. Hers was a broken, fragmented expression, like that of a mirror when dropped on the floor.

"Julie?" Chloe asked again

Julie looked at first Chloe, and then Clark. Clark tried to give her his most reassuring smile, but it seemed to have no effect on her. She merely looked back at Chloe, and then back out the window.

"Julie, can we ask you some questions?" Chloe queried, "We want to ask you about the man who did this to you. Can you tell us about him?"

"It's raining."

Julie's voice was a hoarse whisper. Obviously she hadn't spoken much in the last few weeks since the attack. Clark looked out the window, then at Chloe. The weather was beautiful; it was a crisp, clear fall day. There were no clouds to be seen.

"But, Julie, the sun is shining outside," Clark told her in a calm tone, walking to stand on her other side

"It's raining," She repeated

"Julie, we're trying to catch the man who did this to you," Chloe continued, "Can you help us? Can you tell us anything that might help us catch this man?"

"Don't let him hurt you," She whispered to no one, "Touch … the stars …."

She fell silent then. Chloe tried to get her to say more, but it was useless. Clark looked around the room and saw her chart in a bin at the end of her bed. He picked it up and thumbed through to Julie's daily medication and reports. He read quickly, but didn't learn much other than they kept her sedated throughout most of the day.

The sound of some bustling outside the door caught Clark's attention. He put the file back and listened closer. The nurses in the hall were talking about the afternoon medication rotation. Their ten minutes was up.

"Chloe, we have to go," Clark informed her, "Now."

"What? Clark, we have to ask her more questions, we may not get another chance."

"The nurses are doing their rounds. I'd really prefer not to get Jordan in trouble when they come in here and find two unwelcome guests."

"Well how are we supposed to get out if the halls are crawling with nurses? I doubt that we're gonna get by without them asking a nice set of questions we can't answer."

Clark gave her one of his best "I have a plan" grins.

"Take my hand."

"What?"

"Did you forget about the whole super human speed thing? Now take my hand and let's get out of here before someone sees us."

He could see her hesitate for a moment, apparently not completely taken with the idea. The bustling was getting closer, however, and that seemed to make up her mind. With an exasperated sigh, she stepped forward and took his hand. In what could have been less than the time it took her to blink, they were standing outside next to her car.

"I still haven't gotten used to that," She muttered as she unlocked her doors

Clark just chuckled and got in the car.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter Three:_**

Chloe didn't drink. The thought had never really even crossed her mind, until now. She couldn't place why she wanted a beer now; if she were to guess, she would say it had something to do with her current state of feeling overwhelmed. She did not give in to the strange craving, unsure if it was due to the fact that they didn't have beer at the Daily Planet or because she had the willpower not too. Either way, she should head back to the apartment, where Jimmy would no doubt be one of two things: sleeping like a log, or wondering where the hell she was.

The blonde sighed to herself and kept searching. She was at her desk, searching the internet for everything and anything she could find on Julie Vigliotti or her family. The newspaper was quiet, everyone else having gone home hours ago. Chloe liked it this way; it was peaceful, and easier for her to think when her head was full.

"Why is this bothering me so much?" She quietly asked the air

There was no reply, not that she had expected one. She scrolled down the page of her search results, browsing the samples as she went. Halfway down the page one of them caught her eye, and she clicked on it. According to the article, which was actually written about her father, Julie's mother had died when she was seven. Julie was an only child. The police could never say for sure if her mother's death had anything to do with her husband's political standings, but her relationship with her father was never the same. The article then went on to talk about the politicians views on certain bills and legislatures; nothing more was mentioned of his daughter or his wife.

"Who the hell just forgets about their daughter?" She muttered

"Do you always talk to yourself, or do you have an imaginary friend?"

Chloe jumped out of her chair, and nearly out of her skin. A handsome man a few years her senior was standing just a few feet away from her desk, smiling at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's almost ten thirty at night, in an empty building. How could you not scare me? What are you doing here?" Chloe demanded, heart thumping

"Calm down," The man said easily, smiling, "I work here. A few floors up, actually. I was just about to leave when I saw the light from your desk lamp. I thought you might be trying to steal something."

"Do you always work late into the night?"

"I could ask you the same thing," He shot back, "I'm Tristan Campbell."

Chloe didn't respond immediately, still trying to regain her wits. He seemed like a gentleman, and he had a very disarming grin on his face. He was handsome, she noted, and big enough to be a formidable threat. She didn't know quite what to make of it, but then, she probably seemed a little suspicious to him as well.

"I'm Chloe," She finally answered, "I was just trying to get a lead on my next story."

"Nice to meet you, Chloe," He said, shaking her hand, "Why don't you turn on the lights if you're going to be doing some work?"

"Actually, I hadn't planned on staying long. I kinda lost track of time."

"That happens to me all the time," He told her, chuckling, "I was actually thinking of just buying a cot for my office. I spend enough time here to put it to good use."

"I know how that feels," She told him, smiling, "Are you new here, Tristan? I've never seen you here before."

"Yeah, I just got here about two weeks ago."

"And you already have an office?"

"Yeah, I guess it's a perk that comes with being the Assistant Editor," and he gave her a sheepish look

"I remembered there being some talk about us getting a new A.E., but I didn't really pay much attention."

"Neither did I."

They fell silent then, and Chloe felt a little more at ease. Tristan was harmless; well, he was very handsome and charming, but otherwise he was harmless. She wasn't the only workaholic in the world.

"Well, Chloe, I'm headed out for the evening. Can I walk you to your car?"

"Thanks, but I have a few things to finish up here. Have a safe drive home, though."

"Thank you," Tristan said, then smiled and headed for the door, "I look forward to seeing your work, Chloe."

Without another word he disappeared down the hall, and Chloe took the seat she had so quickly jumped out of. Her heart had slowed down again, but she took a deep breath and let it out slowly anyway. She went back to her internet search, but her concentration was shot for the night. She just couldn't think anymore, and she was tired.

With that thought in mind, she turned off her computer and gathered up her purse and belongings. She shut off her desk lamp and made her way out to her car, feeling preoccupied and withdrawn. She had already forgotten about her chance encounter with the good looking new Assistant Editor; instead, she was mulling over the ring Clark had magically produced. That ring had been in the back of her mind all day, taunting her. She had been so surprised when she saw it that it nearly took her breath away. Chloe had always thought of herself as one of, if not the closest person to Clark; yet, somehow, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind that he would propose to Lana. She should have known, obviously, since he had only spent all of high school pining away for her. Now that they were together, and she knew his secret, why wouldn't he propose?

Chloe tried to shoo those thoughts away and got in her car, turning on the ignition and flipping on her headlights. She backed out of her parking spot and pointed herself homeward, turning up her radio to try and drown out her thoughts. The attempt failed however, as she had known it would. One downfall of being a writer was that the mind never let go of an idea, and never stopped analyzing everything.

The thing that really got to her, the thing that really bothered Chloe to no end, was the suddenness of it all. More than that, it was that Clark was always so cautious about everything and everyone; except this, except her. When they were in their beginning stages, when Chloe was new to his secret, he had doubted her. Feared that she wouldn't be able to keep his secret. At first, he had been reserved and hesitant to talk to her about it, or let her help him. Not with Lana, though, never with Lana. When it came to her, he was willing to just accept everything on faith and dive right in. Why wasn't she given the same courtesy, the same faith? Wasn't it her who had been there to help him these last few years? In fact, she had always been there to help him, long before Lana came into the picture. Somehow, however, Chloe always seemed to be coming in second to the other girl.

Her cell phone rang just then, and she grabbed it out of her purse with ease. She already knew who it was going to be, and couldn't hold back a smile.

"Hi, Jimmy."

"Chloe, you okay?" He asked in a worried tone

"Of course. I'm on my way home now, I was at the Daily Planet and lost track of time. Why are you still awake?"

"I was worried about my girl."

Chloe's grin widened. She liked knowing that she was someone's "girl", and it was cute the way he worried about her.

"I should be there in just a little bit," She told him

"I'll stay up and wait then."

"Well, if you're gonna wait up for me, would you mind getting some hot chocolate ready for me? I feel kinda tense."

"Sure," He agreed, "The hot chocolate and I will be waiting for you."

Chloe laughed and hung up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four:_**

Clark and Lana were curled up on the couch watching some chick flick she had picked out, the only light in the house coming from the flickering pictures on the television. He thought for sure she was asleep, and was content to just sit on the couch with her wrapped in his arms. Many times he had dreamed of this sort of thing, of living with Lana in domestic bliss, but even those dreams were not as sweet as the real thing.

"Clark?" She asked softly

"Hmm?" He replied just as softly

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, Lana."

She sat up to look at him, and he instantly missed the weight of her small body against him. She had a serious look on her face, so he had been wrong about her being asleep. Apparently whatever she was going to ask him she had spent a lot of time thinking about.

"You and I both know that no relationship will work when the people in it are keeping secrets from each other," She began, and his heart fell, "No matter how much you love the other person, it just won't work."

"Lana, I've told you everything …"

"I know," She interrupted, smiling and taking his hand in hers, "I'm not talking about us."

"Then who are you talking about?"

"Chloe and Jimmy."

Clark was confused. As far as he knew, they had a great relationship.

"Clark, have you considered telling Jimmy your secret, or at least letting Chloe tell him?"

"No," He said instantly

"That's not fair, Clark," Lana stated firmly

"Lana, the fewer people that know the better. It's not something you just come out and tell whoever you want. It's a big responsibility, with very serious repercussions if the wrong people find out. If you don't believe me, ask Chloe. My enemies will try to get to me through you. I can't burden someone else with that responsibility, I can't expect them to guard my secret. Not the way you and Chloe will."

"I understand that, Clark, but think about it. It's not fair to Chloe. She has all these secrets she has to keep from the man she loves. Think about what that did to you and I. She's been protecting your secret, alone, for all these years. Now, you have me, but she's still alone. How is that right?"

"Lana …" He began, but trailed off

"Chloe would never ask you to let him in on it. She told you that she would keep your secret, and she will. Even from Jimmy, the man she plans to marry; even though it tears her up inside to keep it from him. She'll do it, because you asked her to."

Clark said nothing in reply. Truthfully, he didn't have anything to say. He had never thought about what it must be costing her, to have this elephant sized secret hanging in the air between her and Jimmy. He remembered what it had been like, trying to keep it from Lana before they were even in a relationship. The few times they had tried to be together, things hadn't lasted or had ended in near disaster. A relationship never would have worked between them if he hadn't told her. Chloe had protected his secret for so long, against every person that had ever meant him harm or sought his true identity. That took courage. The real courage, however, was in the fact that she had kept his secret not from strangers or people that meant him harm, but from the man she shared her life with. Jimmy, who she went home to every night, who she planned to spend the rest of her life with.

"How does she do it?" He muttered to himself

Lana smiled at him.

"Because she loves you, Clark. You're her best friend. She'd die before she'd tell anyone you're secret. How about this idea? Why don't you tell Chloe that you're alright with it if she wants to bring Jimmy into our little secret keepers circle. That way she can decide if she thinks he can handle it. The decision will be hers. At least then Chloe will know that you trust and love her enough to trust in her decision."

Clark mulled it over for a minute, thinking of all the possible outcomes. He trusted Chloe, and her judgment enough to let her make the ultimate decision. She knew Jimmy better than anyone, and would know if he could stand up to the task.

"Did Chloe talk to you about this?" He asked as Lana settled back into his arms

"No, but she didn't have to. I can see the strain of it in her eyes and on her face. You're great at a lot of things, Clark, but when it comes to reading your best friend you're kind of obtuse."

He laughed and kissed the top of her dark head.

"I don't know what it is about her. Chloe is just so hard to read sometimes."

"No she's not," Lana argued, "She's just so close to you that sometimes you forget to look."

He was struck with those words, spoken so innocently but so true. He did forget to look at Chloe sometimes. She was always such a rock, so cool headed and determined. He had depended on her for so much throughout the years, he supposed he had forgotten just how fragile she really was.

Clark thought back to earlier that day, at Belle Reeve. He remembered the look of pained surprise on her face when he had pulled out the ring. She must have been hurt, thinking that he just wasn't going to tell her at all. That wasn't the case, of course, he just hadn't had time to talk to her about it. Strange, that he should feel like he needed to talk to Chloe about proposing to Lana. Then again, other than Lana, Chloe was the leading lady in his life. She was his best friend; why shouldn't he want to talk to her about one of the biggest decisions of his life?

His thoughts shifted to the ring, which was now hidden on top of the kitchen cupboards. He glanced down at Lana, who was busy watching the television. He hadn't really planned on proposing tonight, like this, but he didn't want to wait. Now was as good a time as any, he figured.

"I'll be right back," He told her, and she sat up

He disappeared into the kitchen and retrieved the ring, his heart pounding. What if she said no? That would be the end of him, he knew. He drove away that thought and went back into the living room, where she was sitting with one leg pulled up, her chin resting on her knee.

"Can you pause the movie for a second?" He asked

"Sure," She replied, hitting the pause button on the remote, "What's up, Clark?"

"Well," He began, so nervous he thought he might start shaking, "I've loved you for as long as I can remember, Lana. I know I've kind of thrown a lot on you in the last few weeks, but there's something else."

Taking a deep breath, Clark took one knee in front of the couch. Her eyes went wide, and she glanced from the ring box he had produced to his face.

"Lana, will you marry me?"

For a few tense moments she made no reply. He was certain his heart had stopped beating. His whole world was hanging on what she would say next.

"Yes," She whispered, a tear falling from her eye, "Yes, Clark, I'll marry you."

He broke into a wide mouthed grin. Very carefully, he took the ring from the box and slipped onto her finger. She started laughing then, and he did too, and scooped her into his arms and swung her around the room.

"You just made me the happiest man on Earth," He told her

"On Earth? That's it?" She teased

He laughed and kissed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five:_**

Chloe had just turned in her latest story and was headed back to her desk when someone rounded the corner and nearly knocked her off her feet.

"Take it easy, Turbo," She chided

She glanced up into the bright face of none other than Tristan Campbell. He looked hurried, but when he saw her before him he gave her that same disarming grin.

"I'm sorry, Chloe, I wasn't paying attention."

"So I noticed," She shot back, chuckling, "Luckily, I was paying attention."

"My, aren't you the witty one," He teased

"Don't get smart with me," She warned, but laughed

"I like you, Chloe. You're quite the little fireball."

"That's a good thing?" She queried

"I think so," He told her, winking, "I have to run. Don't worry, I'll watch where I'm going."

"Good idea."

She walked past him and back to her desk, grinning to herself. He was an interesting character, and certainly not the kind of person she would have imagined for the position of Assistant Editor.

Chloe hunkered down at her desk again with a fresh cup of coffee, her determination renewed to find some break on the Julie Vigliotti front. There was no way for her to get in and talk to the girl again, so that was a dead end. She should have looked at her medical charts before they left. She scanned her memory of the girl, trying to remember if there had been any identifying markings or bruises anywhere ….

A sharp gust of wind scattered papers into the air around her. She didn't jump, and caught her breath just a little.

"Now that I'm starting to get used to," She said

"Morning, Chlo'," Clark greeted

"Morning, Clark."

"You busy?"

"Not really, I was just trying to think of anything I might have missed when we went to talk to Julie. You didn't happen to read her medical charts while we were there, did you?"

"Actually, I did," Clark replied, "But they weren't very helpful."

"Do you remember what they said?"

"Just that they keep her sedated," He replied, sitting on the corner of her desk, "There was a list of medication, but I don't remember what was on it. That's about it. She's incoherent and unresponsive most of the time."

"Wait, what? Most of the time? What does that mean?" Chloe questioned

"I'm not sure," He answered with a shrug, "That's about the time I heard all the bustle in the hallway. Why?"

"It might help us to know what kind of medication they're giving her, and what happens if she is coherent and responsive. What if she does remember what happened, and they're trying to keep her quiet about it?"

"Why would they do that?" He challenged

"I have no idea. I need access to her medical records, Clark."

"Chloe …"

"We have to figure this out, Clark, before this guy has the chance to break some other girl's mind into pieces. We need to find out everything we can about Julie Vigliotti."

Clark sighed. She could tell he wasn't thrilled with the idea of breaking in and stealing private patient records, but she was right and he knew it.

"Alright," He acquiesced, "But first, can we talk?"

She gave him that same curious, worried look that he had come to know as purely Chloe. That was the same look she had every time he piqued her interest, but she was afraid of what she would hear.

"Here?"

"No, let's go for a walk or something."

"Okay."

She turned off her computer monitor and grabbed her purse and they headed out. No one spoke for the first few blocks; they walked in companionable silence, the warm sun beating down on them from above the city sky rises.

"I haven't been very fair to you, have I, Chlo'?" Clark began

"What are you talking about, Clark?"

"Well, I lay this huge burden on your tiny shoulders and then ask you not to tell anyone. To protect this secret from anyone who may ask about it, or come looking for me. And you've done just that all these years, even when you get hurt in the process. That takes spirit, Chloe. More than that, it takes courage to keep this secret from someone you love."

"Are you talking about Jimmy?" She asked

"Yeah, I'm talking about Jimmy. I never considered what it must be costing you to keep this from him, Chlo'. All the times you've had to leave him hanging, without so much as an explanation. Then, these last few weeks, it must have hurt to see how happy I am with Lana and not be able to tell Jimmy, to have that same happiness. It's not fair for me to have that, and then deny you the same."

"Clark, I know how serious this is. It's your life we're talking about here. I would never do anything to jeopardize your well being."

"I know that," He told her, glancing over at his beautiful friend, "And this is your life we're talking about here. I guess I lean on you so much that I forget just how fragile you are; you need to be able to share your life with Jimmy. Every part of it, including the part that includes me. I'm sorry I didn't see that before."

"We all get wrapped up, Clark."

"I wanted to tell you that it's okay if you tell Jimmy, Chlo'. I don't mind if he knows."

"Clark, that's a big decision."

"I know it is. Which is why I'm leaving it up to you. I trust your judgment. You know Jimmy better than anyone. Only you can know if he can handle the responsibility of knowing the truth. So it's up to you. If you want to tell him, then do. Whether that's today, or next week, or whenever. Just let me know what you decide, okay?"

She felt the tears gathering behind her eyes. She was so touched just knowing that he trusted her enough to let her tell Jimmy. She threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug, which he returned whole heartedly. A few tears raced trails down her cheeks, but she ignored them. When they pulled away from each other, it was Clark who reached down and brushed away the tears.

"I'm sorry I can be so thick headed, Chlo'," He told her, "I don't mean to be."

She laughed and shook her head.

"No one does," She reassured him, "So I won't hold it against you. Thank you, Clark. It means a lot to me."

He smiled and turned them back toward the Daily Planet. They hadn't walked far, but the morning air felt good.

"So you want me to steal medical records, huh?" He teased

"Not steal," She corrected him, "Borrow. We'll take them back."

"I'll take them back, you mean."

"Yeah, that too."

They laughed and turned to go into the newspaper. Just as Clark reached for the door handle, the door swung open and out and nearly hit them. They took a step back, and hurricane Tristan swept out the door.

"That's twice today I've nearly ran into you, Chloe," He said apologetically, "Must be fate."

"Very funny. I thought you said you were going to watch where you were going?" Chloe shot back

"Believe it or not, I was this time. My phone rang and I looked down to see who it was just as I was pushing the door open."

"Likely story," She replied

He laughed again. She liked the sound of his laugh; it was full and rich, both serious and playful. Tristan Campbell was a charming mystery, she thought, and she wasn't sure what to make of that.

"I like running in to you, Chloe. You make me laugh. Is this your boyfriend?"

He motioned at Clark, and Chloe smiled first at Clark and then at Tristan.

"No, this is Clark. Clark, this is the new Assistant Editor, Tristan."

"Nice to meet you," Clark said, extending his hand

"Likewise," Tristan answered, shaking his proffered hand, "Well, I'm off again. My work is never done. I look forward to running in to you again, Chloe. Have a good afternoon."

He was off like a whirlwind again. As soon as he was gone, Clark turned and gave Chloe a knowing smile.

"He was flirting with you," He told her

"Oh please, Clark," She chided, "He was not flirting with me."

"I'm a guy, Chlo'. I know flirting when I see it, and that was flirting."

"Whatever. Now go borrow those files so we can get to work."

"Consider me gone."

There was a quick gust of wind again, and more papers being thrown into the air. Chloe just smiled and made her way down to her desk, feeling cheerier than she had in days.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six:_**

Clark returned with the "borrowed" medical records about half an hour later. Chloe was sitting at her desk again, already lost in a web search, and to her credit didn't even flinch when that familiar gust of wind ruffled her hair.

"That took longer than I expected," She said over her shoulder.

"First you ask me to illegally acquire these, then you yell at me for taking too long?" Clark jokingly scoffed, throwing the files down on her desk.

"Of course not. Did you run into any road blocks?"

"No, it was pretty dead actually. It must have been lunch time or something, cause Julie wasn't even in her room."

"Well, that's convenient. Alright, let's dive into these records so we can get them back," Chloe said, turning from her computer and taking up the folder. She scanned the papers quickly, completely silent although he knew her mind was working at a million miles a minute.

"Well?" He prodded, when he couldn't be patient any longer

"She's been diagnosed with Dementia," Chloe told him, rescanning the papers, "They keep her on a mixture of sleeping pills and stuff that's supposed to help her maintain mental clarity, but the reports say none of it works. It's hard to keep track of because they've changed her medication so many times, trying to find one that works. She's unresponsive to any type of counseling, and most people in general."

"Does it say anything about what happens when they take her off medication?" Clark questioned

"Not really. One of the doctors mentions that she goes into fits, where she starts screaming the same word or words over and over again, but that's all it says. They can't make any sense of it."

Clark sighed dejectedly. They had hit yet another brick wall; he was thinking about starting to keep a running tally of them. Chloe was silent for a few minutes more, trying to glean a little more information from the reports he guessed. He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to relax, although he wasn't sure why he felt so tense today. He let his mind wander, and he was soon lost in thoughts about Lana. He thought about calling her just to see how she was doing and how her day was going, but was interrupted when a male voice called across the room.

"Ms. Sullivan."

Startled, both Clark and Chloe looked up to find the owner of the voice. None other than Tristan was making his way towards them, and out of the corner of his eye Clark saw Chloe deftly hide the medical records under a stack of papers on her desk. She was getting to be damn good and hiding things. He almost snorted at the double meaning in that thought.

"Did I interrupt something?" Tristan asked, coming to stand in front of her desk

"No," Chloe answered smoothly, "Just working on leads."

"Good to hear. Reporters never sleep."

Clark was aware that the other man was still speaking, but he wasn't listening. He had the strangest feeling that although Tristan was speaking to, and focused on Chloe, he was actually sizing Clark up. A strange thought, he knew, but he was now certain that was the case. A little red flag stood up in Clark's mind at that. What reason could this man have to be studying Clark so intensely, and so secretively?

Just then, the other man turned his attention to Clark. "You're really not her boyfriend?" He asked.

Clark shook his head in the negative and tried his best to smile nonchalantly.

"Well then you won't mind if I ask her out on a date," He stated, turning back to Chloe.

For her part, Chloe visibly blushed and glanced down at her desk for a second, then looked back up and met the other man's eyes.

"I'm very flattered, Tristan," She said smoothly, "But just because Clark isn't my boyfriend doesn't mean I don't have one."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked pointedly

"Yes I do."

"Damn. Well of course you do. You're too beautiful not to. My apologies then," He said with a charming smile, "I'll let you get back to work."

Just as quietly as he came he disappeared back into the halls of the Planet. Clark watched him go for a minute, then turned back to an obviously still surprised and flushed Chloe. She sat heavily back into her chair and said nothing for a few moments.

"See, you should have believed me when I said he was hitting on you," Clark teased

"I really didn't think he was," She replied, shaking her head slightly, "I was not expecting that."

Clark chuckled a little to himself. Chloe still looked so lost. He cleared his throat, trying to bring her back to herself. They were on something of a race against the clock, and the more time they lost the more time their villain had to find another victim.

"Uh, Chlo'?" He prodded

"Right, right," She said then, grabbing up the folder again, "Unfortunately, you might have borrowed these records for nothing, Clark. None of this information seems helpful."

"There has to be something we're not seeing," Clark replied, "There's a connection somewhere, we're just overlooking it."

"Well I don't know about you, but my idea factory is running out of steam."

"I know, but we have to keep trying. Every minute that we can't figure this out is another minute that someone else is in danger."

Chloe sighed in exasperation and brushed errant strands of hair behind her ear. She knew he was right, but she didn't know what else to do. She hadn't been able to turn up any leads, even with Julie's medical records. As far as she knew, Julie had been a healthy young woman before all of this, and relatively happy.

"Any guesses as to why he's doing this to these girls?" She asked, "How is he picking them?"

"I don't know," He answered, "Do you think he knew them? Maybe he was close with all of them somehow."

"According to everything I've read, all of the women were single. None of them knew each other - apparently, they are all seemingly unrelated incidents."

"There has to be a reason he picked them, Chloe."

"Yeah, well, you got me as to what reason it is."

Clark could tell she was frustrated, and he was too. He wanted so badly to catch this guy before he had the chance to hurt someone else. Stressing both of them out wasn't going to help anyone, though, and he could tell that stress was the only thing they were getting out of this little brainstorming session.

"How about I go return these records, and then you can meet me out at the farm in a little bit?" He suggested, "Maybe we can even get Lana's point of view on all of it."

"Okay," She agreed, "But I won't be able to stay long, Jimmy and I have a dinner date tonight."

"Deal. I'll see you there in, say, an hour and a half?"

"I'll be there," She agreed

With his customary alien speed, Clark disappeared out of the basement of the Daily Planet. Chloe's mind was already plugging along, jumping from one thing to the other. She kept trying to tie these women together, but she was grasping at straws. None of it made any sense to her. Her mind still racing, she gathered up her purse and began the trek to her car.

Had she had any time to think on it later, Chloe's analytical mind might have been able to discern exactly at what moment it had happened, or even how. Perhaps if she had been paying more attention, and not been so lost in her own thoughts, she could have stopped it. Perhaps she could have gotten away.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry for the long hiatus! I kinda got away from this story for a bit, but I'm back and determined to finish it in a timely manner. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. This is a little different from my usual stories, which are all Chlark, but not as much as some of you might think. My whole goal here is to highlight the relationship between Clark and Chloe in a way that not a lot of people have done before. Or I hope it comes out that way, anyway. Let me know what ya'll think!_**

**_Spoilers: None._**

**_Disclaimer: Not mine. Ha! Big surprise._**

* * *

**_Chapter Seven:_**

He woke to the sound of the phone ringing. By reflex more than conscious thought he reached over and snatched his cell phone off the bedside table, flipping it open and holding it to his ear.

"'Ello?" He said groggily

"Hey, CK, sorry to wake you."

Confused and becoming more coherent by the second, Clark propped himself up on one elbow. He was aware of Lana rolling over to face him, apparently awakened by the ringing phone as well.

"Jimmy?" He said into the receiver, "Is everything okay? Where's Chloe?"

"Well, that's the thing. She hasn't come home, CK, and she's not answering her phone. She never stays out this late - I was really hoping she'd be with you."

"She was supposed to come over hours ago, but she never showed," Clark said, his mind already working

"She blew you off?" Jimmy queried, "She didn't even call or anything? That's not like Chloe."

"No, it's not," He muttered, "Listen, Jimmy, I'm gonna get dressed and head to the Daily Planet. Maybe she fell asleep at her desk or something. I'll call you when I get there."

"Should I meet you over there?" Jimmy asked

"No, stay there just in case she comes home."

"Ok. Thanks, CK."

The other end went dead. Clark closed his phone and threw it back on the table, nearly hurling himself out of bed. Lana, who was now wide awake and clearly worried, sat up and moved to the edge of the bed.

"What's going on, Clark?"

"Chloe never went home," He said hurriedly as he threw on his clothes, "Jimmy says he's been trying to call her all night."

"Do you think she's still at the Planet? You know how caught up Chloe gets sometimes …"

She let the sentence hang, not sounding entirely convinced. Even if she was at work, Chloe always answered her phone.

"Should I come with you?" Lana asked

"No. Stay here and keep trying to call her. If she's running from something, she might show up here. Call me if you hear from her."

"God, Clark, do you think something happened to her? Do you think someone got her?"

"I hope not, for their sake. I'll be back soon."

He gave his girlfriend - fiancé - a quick kiss and then headed downstairs. He waited until he was outside to start running, and when he did he pushed himself as fast as he could go. Metropolis had never been a long distance from Smallville for him, but tonight he made the trip in record time.

Despite the fact that it was close to three o'clock in the morning, the big city was still alive with activity. The Daily Planet, however, was completely silent when he got there. He saw no sign of lights being on anywhere in the building, and when he listened he heard no sound. There was no hurried clicking of someone typing, no footsteps, and no one on the phone. He was still going to check inside, but he was fairly certain that he was not going to find his friend here.

He considered the best way to get in, finally deciding that if any door was going to be unlocked it would be the one to the stairwell in the parking garage. He was going to try and get in as quietly as he could, and only break in if he had to. There was always a chance that she was being held inside. Trying to ignore the worry he felt, he hurried around the building and into the three story parking garage. His eyes darted to and fro, searching out and finding the door to the stairwell. Clark made his way over and tried the knob; a mixture of relief and tension flooded him when he found it unlocked.

There was only one staircase that lead down, so he followed it until he came to another door with a small rectangular window. When he glanced through the glass, he saw that the door had dropped him off in a side hallway in the basement. Once again he tried the knob, and when it turned freely in his hand and pushed open, his worry turned to fear. The chances that someone had forgotten to lock both doors were slim to none. Surely if someone had been in that much of a rush to leave the building they would have forgotten not only to lock the doors, but also to shut off all the lights.

He found his way down the hall, which was perfectly straight and then went right around a corner. When he turned the corner, he recognized the glass wall with gold trim to his right. Clark nearly ran into the open room that was the basement office, and his stomach flipped when he found it empty. Chloe was not at her desk. He listened again for any sign that the building was occupied, but he was rewarded with silence.

Just to be thorough, and hoping that something might jump out at him, Clark went to her desk. Her computer was turned off and the top of her desk was clean and arranged the way she always had it when she was leaving. From the looks of it, Chloe had cleaned up to go home for the night and left. So if she had left work, but never made it home, the only plausible conclusion Clark could come to was that something had happened to her on the way home.

He nearly ran back up the steps and out into the parking garage. He was busy trying to decide what the best course of action was when a sliver of color caught his eye. He skidded to a stop and backed up a few steps, shocked at what he saw. On the opposite end of the garage, parked against the wall and half hidden in shadows, was Chloe's car. Clark made his way toward it at a brisk walk and had cut the distance in half when he saw her purse laying on the ground near the driver's door. He jogged the rest of the way, stopping only when he had reached the purse. He snatched it off the ground and glanced through it until he found her wallet; when he opened it, he found that her ID and all her credit and debit cards were still inside, along with sixty dollars in cash. The abandoned money and material possessions assured him that she had not been mugged.

When he turned his attention to her car, the first thing he noticed was a long scratch that ran from the keyhole and down to the left. He tried the door, but it was still locked. He glanced around the ground, but her keys were nowhere in sight.

A chain of events was straightening itself out in his mind and as he linked the facts together he became increasingly agitated with the picture forming in his mind.

Chloe's purse still clutched in one hand, Clark sped back to Smallville.

* * * * * *

Lana glanced at the clock on the wall: a quarter to six in the morning. Behind her the coffee pot gurgled as it brewed a fresh pot; before her, in the open space in front of the kitchen counter, Jimmy paced.

Clark had called her less than an hour ago to say that Chloe wasn't at the Planet and that he'd called Jimmy and told him to wait for him at the farm. She'd been about to ask him what was going on, but he'd cut her off and said he'd explain it when he got back. So now she was waiting for the coffee to be done and watching Jimmy pace. She was worried about her friend, but she kept telling herself that Clark might need her help so she couldn't fall apart.

The coffee pot had stopped gurgling. She was debating over whether or not to offer Jimmy a cup as she opened the cupboard; from what she could tell, he hadn't slept all night.

"Would you like some coffee, Jimmy?" She offered gently

"Please. Thanks, Lana," He said on a sigh, halting his pacing

She pulled down two coffee mugs and set them down next to the coffee pot. She was just pouring the coffee and asking Jimmy what he liked in his when the kitchen door opened and Clark barreled in.

"There you are, CK!" Jimmy practically yelled, "What's going on? Did you find Chloe?"

"Calm down, Jimmy," Clark answered evenly, "We don't have time for me to explain twice."

Lana passed Jimmy his coffee and Clark lead them into the living room. Jimmy sat in one of the overstuffed armchairs, while Lana took a seat on the couch. She glanced at Clark, but he shook his head to say that he'd stand.

"Chloe wasn't at the Planet," Clark started, "From the looks of her desk, she'd left for the day. Her computer was turned off, all her papers and files were put away … she probably cleaned up to go home."

"Then where is she?" Jimmy probed

"I don't know. When I went out to the parking garage, I found her car still parked there, and this."

He handed Chloe's purse to Lana, who handed it to Jimmy. He took it slowly, staring at it as if it could tell him where she was.

"I found her wallet in there," Clark continued, motioning toward the purse, "Nothing's missing. Except her keys."

"So you don't think she was mugged?" Lana asked

"No."

"Then what do you think happened?" She asked again

Clark glanced uncomfortably over at Jimmy, who hadn't pulled his gaze away from Chloe's purse long enough to notice.

"I think someone took her."

"As in, kidnapped her?" Jimmy said then

"Yes. Why else would her car and her purse be untouched? I think that she left her desk and got all the way to her car, and then someone attacked her before she could unlock her door."

"Why would someone at the Daily Planet kidnap Chloe?" Jimmy challenged

Clark's stomach flopped again.

"Why do you think it was someone at the Planet?" Lana countered, glancing at him

"Why don't you? Think about it. Someone kidnapped her between her desk and her car. That means they knew when she left, and when she was in the garage. They either followed her, or knew which car was hers and waited for her there. They didn't want her purse or the money, and they didn't steal the car. Whoever it was, all they wanted was Chloe."

Lana made no reply. Jimmy's theory made sense - if it was just a regular thug, they would have taken at least the cash.

"Jimmy," Clark said then, his expression determined, "Check the hospitals. See if anyone was admitted to the hospital without ID. Check here in Smallville and in Metropolis. Call me if you find anything."

"You want me to drive to Metropolis?"

"No, you can call the hospitals there, but I want you to physically check our hospital here in Smallville."

Lana was about to say something, then changed her mind. Now that he had a task and a clear purpose, Jimmy was all business. He tossed a "thanks, Lana" and a promise to call Clark as soon as he found anything over his shoulder and was gone.

Clark waited until he heard Jimmy's car leave the driveway before turning to Lana.

"You already know she's not in the hospital," Lana said in a matter of fact way

Clark nodded. "I checked before coming back."

"I know that look, Clark. What aren't you saying?"

"I might have an idea who took Chloe, but I didn't think of it until Jimmy suggested it was someone from the Planet."

"Who?"

"Tristan Campbell, the Planet's new Assistant Editor."

"Why him?"

"When I went to see Chloe at work earlier, he asked Chloe out on a date."

Lana gave him an incredulous look and opened her mouth to argue, but Clark held up a hand and shook his head.

"Just listen. Before he asked her out, he gave me this weird look, like he was trying to decide if I was a threat. And I don't like the way he looked at Chloe."

He fell silent, but Lana said nothing for some moments. She was looking at him like she thought he might be crazy.

"You sound like a cross between a jealous lover and an overprotective big brother, Clark."

"I know that it sounds crazy, Lana, but I need you to trust me on this."

She still wanted to argue, to tell him that it sounded ridiculous, but she thought of Chloe.

"What would this Tristan guy want from Chloe enough to kidnap her?"

"I'm not sure yet. I need to go back to Belle Reeve and talk to Julie Vigliotti."

"Julie Vigliotti? Why?"

"Just call it a hunch."

"So you want me to go with you?" Lana half asked, half offered

Clark thought that over. Normally, in situations like this he'd either bring Chloe along or have her look for some other information that might help them. This time, Chloe wasn't here to help. The thought unnerved him.

"Yes," He said then, "But we're going to have to run."

"Okay. And we're, what, sneaking in? How?"

Clark felt a stab. Chloe could have found a way to dismantle the cameras or make a distraction if she felt they needed one … he stopped himself. That wasn't fair to Lana, and it couldn't be helped.

"Quietly," He answered

"But it's broad daylight, Clark!"

"We'll just have to think of something when we get there."

She heard the undercurrent of strain and frustration in his voice and stayed silent. The thought occurred to her that she had never actually seen Clark and Chloe in action together, so she was unaware of their dynamics. Whatever tempo or pattern they had established together was a mystery, but she got the feeling that was going against it. She felt suddenly jealous, then ashamed of the jealousy.

"You're right, we'll figure it out later," She agreed, then, "So do I just hold on to your arm or what?"

That garnered a tight smile from him.

"Take my hand."

She did, and was completely unprepared for what happened. The sensation was unlike any other she had experienced. They were moving so quickly! Lana felt as if she couldn't breathe one instant, and the next she felt like the air was being forced into her lungs. She was still focused on the air and the act of breathing when it felt as though she had slammed into a cement wall. They had stopped, but everything around her was spinning. She felt tired, and sick, and immensely sore.

"Lana?"

Clark was looking at her worriedly, her small hand still wrapped in his.

"That was … just … a little sudden," She managed

"I should have warned you, I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath and focused on her surroundings. They were on the left side of the main building that was Belle Reeve, and it was fairly quiet. Her vision was steadying; she breathed in slowly until the world quit spinning.

"So how are we going to get in?" Lana finally asked

"See that door?" He said, pointing at an inconspicuous door

"Yes. A utility door, maybe?" She suggested

"Possibly. We're gonna walk in that door, and straight to Julie's room."

"You know how to get to her room from here?"

"Yes. This is the way I came when I borrowed her charts for Chloe."

Clark started for the door, being careful to walk at a steady and unhurried pace. He was aware of Lana following close behind, but he was already formulating his questions for Julie. He did his best to ignore just how much was riding on the next several minutes.


End file.
